Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.
Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.
Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.
Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.
HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.
HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.
HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.
GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.
Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.
Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.
Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
talleyb123 said 2:14PM on 2-27-2009
Uh... gee this road looks very, VERY narrow. Guess I'll give-it-a-go.
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diplobrat said 2:21PM on 2-27-2009
I take my GPS whereever I go... his name is 'Robert'.
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sweet said 2:46PM on 2-27-2009
Mine is Betty and she kinda cranky sometimes and sends me the long way..
Mike said 2:45PM on 2-27-2009
There is always a moron at the wheel that has no common sense. He knows alot of roads there are NARROW....I have only visited and found that most side roads are extremely narrow compared to the US. He should know better .......he lives there.
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jjoekiker7 said 6:05AM on 2-28-2009
why mike do ya think side roads in Englad are any narrower than side roads in the usa....only m...... I wont say that I almost called you a moron but your not.....I tend to want to call someone names who calls everone else morons.......does that make me a bad moron??? think things like that it depends where in the usa you are like if your in NEW ENGLAnD, USA all roads are narrow compared to LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA where even side roads are wide so mike I was a truck driver for many years and got stuck on lots of narrow roads but never for 5 days......... the driver could not drive very well and blames his GPS.......great excuse but if he had kept his truck on the road........I once had to back up for 27 miles.....now that was difficult especially since my 1973 freightliner cab over didnt have power steering........I had big arms from steering for 35 years with no power thast why truck drivers use to have to be big and strong just to drive the dang truck.......cya god bless all the morons
Gary said 7:30PM on 3-01-2009
JJ,
Typical truckdriver (liar)......... "I'll Bet I can top that story" mentality......"IF" and I do mean "IF" you had to backup 27 miles, what an idiot for getting into such a position........and a bigger idiot for admitting to it!
To many today rely on technology to do the thinking for them, and "wannabee" drivers like JJ just tell tall tales about their "glory days"........LOL
PS,
JJ, I used to deliver heavy equipment to remote jobsites. Many had no turnaround areas so I always backed in drove out rather than driving in and backing out. Much easier to access the front to tow than drag out backward......just a tip from a real trucker
TROY said 3:12PM on 2-27-2009
WTF??? 9 PEOPLE THAT VOTED,, WASN'T SURE THAT THEY USE GPS? LMMFAOOOO!!
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Kevin said 4:58PM on 2-27-2009
LOL...You beat me to it...I didn't notice, as you did, how many people weren't sure but I did see the 25% and was blown away with not only that they had this as a voting option but that it was used by a quarter of the voting populace. On second thot...maybe I'm not so surprised.
Laura said 2:47PM on 3-01-2009
I'm glad someone else noticed that, lol.
paul said 3:15PM on 2-27-2009
the questionare above asked if you use gps to get around & it had 3 answers yes no & im not sure... beleive it or not, 9 people said i don't know.... THERE IS YOUR PROBLEM! those 9 people are the ones that CAN'T USE A GPS DEVICE!! i have had gps for 15 years & never ran into a problem EVER why? because i use common sense & look before i do what the gps tells me...like our parents would say "if your friend jumps into traffic are you going to follow him?" same applies here. people here rely way too much on gps instead of it being your aid it has become their eyes. WAKE UP YOU DUMB PEOPLE & LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP!! IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE!!!
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Coe Case said 3:32PM on 2-27-2009
I use GPS whenever in an area where I am not sure of roads and streets. I ESPECIALLY appreciate the 'Off Route, Recalculating' feature when I must take a detour or turn around because of a temporary road closure. I am never lost unless it is a very newly developed area. .
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911Operator said 4:12PM on 2-27-2009
GPS is a waste of money most of the time. I am a 911 operator. We cringed every time we get a call from OnStar or whoever. Once they called, said there was a gasoline tanker in a major river in our area. Of course, we send out numerous fire trucks, rescue and police units. Not to mention notifying other agencies on the other side of the river, (runs through two states), Anyway, we find the "overturned surmerged tanker", driver had pulled of to the shoulder of the road, taking a nap, completely unaware of the panic his GPS had caused. Second example, a traveler spots a house fire, unaware of where he is, uses his GPS to "locate", gave 5 different location before having about 3 different volunteer fire departments out looking for the house fire. Finally found it house burnt to ground. Although, this one I will give the benefit of the doubt to the GPS, this could have been user error. But still, GPS needs alot of work.
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craig said 3:50PM on 3-01-2009
exactly what tanker truck has on-star on it? As I recall On-star is a Chevy proprietory product. I am a long distance truck driver and Freightliner, western star, mercedes-benz (all made by Daimler Chrysler (not a chevy product no on star on these driven them all), Peterbilt, Kenworth (paccar products....uhm not made by Chevy so no on-star). Volvo and Mack trucks (these also are not chevy products). International and Sterling trucks (still not a chevy product...still no On-star). Just so you know I've been driving trucks for the las 10 years and I have driven all of the above trucks. A tanker truck is a class 8 heavy duty two piece unit (two piece--truck and trailer that can weigh up to 80000 pounds combined gross weight before needing a special overweight permit. Unless you are insinuating that the driver of the tanker truck was driving a Chevy 3500 pickup truck ( which can only carry about 28000 pounds, I doubt this is the case) Also for On-star to call an emergency service it would have to detect that the vehicle has been in some type of crash...for example the airbag deployed, or the user hit the onstar button...yes button, to alert on star to the event of an emergency. As far as on-star calling about a sinking truck, exactly which one of their on board vehicle sensors measure water....none. I think instead of talking to someone at On-star you might have been getting prank called. As far as GPS navigation units go, Ive been using them for over 5 years now in a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV). Very rarely are they off, it is usually user input error, and the couple of times that it is off it is a common sense issue with the person....for example the GPS says to turn left onto a ramp (when there is a divider and you can't make a left), but instead you need to make a right to get on the ramp. As far as the whole on-star story, well, Exactly when did Chevy make a Class 8 CMV I believe it was way back in late 80's before on-star even existed. Maybe you got a phone call from blond-star I don't know, but I do know this, I haven't seen no Bow-tie Big trucks and Yes Ford and Chevy used to make them, and they were cab-overs (driver sat over top of the engine) instead of the conventionals (truck with a hood) that are built today.
solarflare69 said 4:22PM on 2-27-2009
I was following my GPS down some backroad's and it blanked out on me at a spot where i could turn left, down a private road , drive really fast and hope they country boy didn't shoot me, go straight, or turn around on the dirt road..... Figured i would just take the road straight......... and had to slam on my break's when i saw a fishin line thin electric fence at night...... had it not been lost i woulda been going full speed ahead and someone woulda been suing me for taking down there fence :P.. but what kind of retard's dont flag there electric fence's that cross the middle of a road....
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aamed24 said 11:51PM on 2-27-2009
What kind of retard doesn't flag their electric fence that crosses their road? Whay are they the retard. What part of PRIVATE raod did you not understand. They know it is there, that's all they care about. My advice to you, stop driving down private roads.
Kevin said 1:46AM on 3-03-2009
Obviously you read a GPS as bad as you spell and drive as bad as you write. Plowing headlong through some farmers' cow pasture when stumbling across an electric fence cannot be blamed on the GPS. Hint...roads are smooth black things not green and grassy with dung piles.
Facingfacts2009 said 4:42PM on 2-27-2009
Could be operator error.
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stoic said 4:51PM on 2-28-2009
GPS was never meant to replace our brains..that been said...I love mine and couldn't imagine life without it.
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mark said 4:44PM on 2-27-2009
this must be the GPS that Obama uses ... because he's taking us down the wrong road... again and again...
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newmoonlmt said 8:45PM on 2-27-2009
Um, he's been in office for, what, 5 weeks? He inherits a crisis center on fire and you're not happy that it's all fixed instantly? And Iraq was the RIGHT road? Your boy had 8 long, long years to get it right and has ruined our world standing and our economy--along with the structure of another country that didn't do anything to us. Not to mention the thousands of killed and maimed US troops and the beheaded civilians. Nice job, Brownie!